DAYTONA BEACH, FL :: Kyle Larson enters the UNOH Battle at the Beach facing the burden of mind blowing expectations. The defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion will be running almost every event at Daytona Speedweek. Pairing up with former NASCAR crew chief Lee McCall, Larson’s not letting the pressure get to him and hopes to just have fun.
“It’s going to be cool to race at Daytona because I don’t think anyone else is running as many different cars as I am,” Larson said. “It’s going to be fun and I’ll get a lot of laps. To race on the superspeedways will be cool. I run the ARCA race on Saturday and, if it goes well, I’ll be approved to run the Nationwide race.”
Lee McCall, who will be the crew-chief for Ben Rhodes, is preparing the cars and will have BJ Mackey behind the wrenches of Larson’s Late Model Stock Car.
“I’m excited. It’s always good to house someone of his caliber,” McCall stated. “It’s exciting for me and the team. We have two cars here. We’ll have BJ Mackey come along to work with Kyle. It’s good to have Mackey come on board and focus on one car so I can focus on the other.”
McCall isn’t worried about the rules for the race.
“Larson’s a good kid. He has credentials. So we hope to deliver a one-two finish and obviously we’re, I haven’t been worked up over the straight-rail cars. Our testing has been very successful. We tested Ben (Rhodes) at the quarter mile in Charlotte and Kyle as well. We’re going home to crane them up and get them ready for Daytona. I think Charlotte is as good as a simulation as you can get as far as the transition and the corners.”
Larson’s used to running different types of cars, but the race on February 18th will be the first time he’s raced in a NASCAR Late Model.
“I’ll have to adjust my driving style for each car,” Larson said. “I’ve run sprint cars, and there were nights when I ran three different types of cars in one night. Hopefully I can adjust to all the cars I need to and be fast. I don’t think, during the Battle at the Beach race, you’ll be on the edge because the track’s going to be slow so I’ll probably be at a disadvantage.
“I’d like to think I could win all the races but I’ve never driven a Late Model so I don’t know. I think we’ll do okay. Lee’s got good equipment and a good crew so I’m confident we can do well. It’s a matter of getting yourself in position and staying out of trouble. If there are wrecks, hopefully we’re not in them.”
After winning the K&N East Championship and challenging for wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series right off the bat, a lot of people see greatness in Larson’s future. Larson is not letting that hype get to him.
“I try not to pay attention to the hype,” Larson explained. “I hear about it but I don’t really let it get to my head at all. Racing’s what I love to do and I want to keep it fun. I just do the best I can each night and see how it goes from there.”
McCall is excited to bring Larson on board, but his main focus is with Ben Rhodes.
“Main focus in 2013 is Ben Rhodes in UARA-STARS Series and select NASCAR Late Model races,” McCall noted. “That’s my number one priority. The second car is under the same number but I’ve got good people taking care of it. Mackey will be making all the calls.”
McCall is confident Larson and Rhodes can bring home the check on February 18th.
“I think, with our test (on Monday), I haven’t seen any of the straight-rail cars, I think we can run well,” McCall asserted. “If everyone’s equal, our cars can be one and two. I hope the cars will be equal. I know a lot of people have blown it out of proportion but NASCAR does a good job keeping cars equal. If we get there, NASCAR will make the right decision to keep them equal. It’s a new opportunity for everyone.”
RACE22.com will continue to provide coverage leading up to the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona, which will be run on February 18th, with driver interviews and preview stories. So, stick with RACE22.com, the Short Track Authority, as we continue to countdown to Daytona.
